Gin pole and universal top assembly therefor



y 7, 1953 L. s. JOHNSON 2,644,666

GIN POLE AND UNIVERSAL TOP ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Filed June 2'7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY LEE 8. Johnson A TTORNEVS y 7, 1953 L. s. JOHNSON 2,644,666

GIN POLE AND UNIVERSAL TOP ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Filed June 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "w hum NVENTOR.

BY L55 8. Johnson. %%,/4

7. ATTORNEY;

ug-III Patented July 7, 1953 GIN POLE AND UNIVERSAL TOP ASSEMBLY THEREFOR U Lee S. J ohnson; Tulsa, Okla. Application June 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,826

9 Claims. (01. 254-439) This invention relates to girl poles and like apparatus for lifting heavy objects, and more particularly to gin poles and a universal top assembly therefor.

Gin poles usually consist of two or more rigid poles pivoted and braced on a suitable support and connected at the upper ends thereof by suitable top irons which include U-shaped hangers or yokes which swing between the upper ends of the poles and depend from the axis of such swinging movement. A conventional snatch block having a hook on the upper end thereof is usual- 1y engaged with a hanger or yoke to suspend the snatch block therefrom. In many instances the location limits the height of the gin poles and the over-all length of the hanger or yoke, hook and snatch block which depend from the pivotal axis of the hanger limit the height to which a load may be hoisted for a given length of gin pole. Also when the load to be hoisted is off to one side, the snatch block is pulled at an angle wherein the line of the application of force to the hanger is below the pivotal axis thereof providing a leverage on the pole. This leverage tends to twist or bend the polesv and reduces the permissible load that may be hoisted or moved under such conditions.

The objects ofthe present invention are to provide a gin pole and universal top assembly therefor which is more compact with an application of forces to the members thereof whereby heavier loads may be lifted without distortion of the gin poles; to provide a universal top assembly with a snatch block for gin poles which has a short over-all length of unit to increase the hoisting lift within the limitation of gin pole length; to provide such a top assembly which gives maximum flexibility for better distribution of load under the extreme conditions regardless of the angle of the line of force application; to pro vide a top assembly for gin poles wherein an eye swivelled on a snatch block is pivotally mounted for rocking movement about an axis perpendicular to and above the axis of the trunnions rodetails of'structure, the preferred forms of which are'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Whereinia v i Fig. l'is a perspective View of a gin pole and universal top assembly therefor embodying the features of the present invention and shown applied to a support such as the rear portion of a truck.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the upper portion of the gin pole and top assembly therefor.

Fig. 3 is'an elevational view of the upper portion of the gin pole with portions of the top as-- sembly and snatch block therefor broken away to better illustratethe structure thereof.

Fig. 4' is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the ginvpole. a

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of the gin pole having a modified form of top assembly with a plurality of snatch blocks thereon.

. Fig; 6 is an elevational View of a modified form of snatch block and trunnion housing, with portions broken away to better illustrate the structure thereof.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View through the snatchblock and. trunnion housing on the line 1--1, Fig. 6. v

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a' gin pole arrangement embodying the features of the present invention, and generally consisting of spaced upwardly converging p'ole members 2 and 3" with the upper ends connected by a top'assembly 4 which includes a snatch block '5. "The gin pole may be mounted on any suitable structure as, for example, on I the rearend 6 of a truck, as illustrated in Fig. 1, whereinthetlower ends of the pole members 2 and 3 are suitably mounted on the truck and chains or: other brace -members I connect the upper portion of the pole members to a suitable mechanism on said truckto support the pole members at a desired angular relation with the horizontal ,In'the formrof gin pole illustrated, the pole members. Z and 3, are-metaltubes with pole caps 8*suitablysecured as by weldinghin the upper ends thereof. The caps 8 in the respectivelpole members have, upstanding bearing members or ears 9,1said:ears onthe, respective cap members preferably having substantially parallel inner faces it! when the upper ends of the pole members are suitably spaced. -Thepole cap ears 9 have aligned bores II for receiving and rotatably mounting trunnions !2 of a top member 13. Slots Mare arranged in the respective ears 9 and intersect the-upper portion of the bores ll member is rotated to align the lugs I5 with the slots I 4.

The top member 13 includes an enlarged'por tion or housing I! between the ears 9, said enlarged portion adjacent the inner ends of the trunnions i2 forming shoulders 18 adapted to I engage the inner faces [0 of the ears 8 to maintain the upper ends of the pole members separated. The housing I! of the top member is offset upwardly from the axis of the-trunnions !2 or substantially diametrically opposite the lugs 15 and has a central recess l9 opening from. the bottom of the housing for receiving an eye 20 of a swivel T assembly 21 of the snatch block 5. Bores 22 extend through the sides of the housing H in alignment with the opening :23 in the eye 28 forreceiving a lock bolt 24 for pivotally mounting the eye on the top member for rocking movement about an axis transversely ofthe axis through the trunnions [2, the axis of the bolt 24 being above the axis of the trunnions, as illustrated in Fig. 3. One end of the bolt 24 is preferably provided with a ring 25 and the other end with an opening 26 for receiving a pin 21, the pin 21 preferably being connected-to the ring 25 by means of a chain 28.

The snatch block 5 connected to the swivel T assembly 2! preferably consists of spaced side plates 30 having aligned bores 3i for mount ing a spindle 32 on which is rotatably mounted a sheave 33 between the side plates. The spindle 32 is preferably provided with heads and nuts St to secure same in place. Aligned bores 35 are arranged in the side plates 30 in spaced relation to the bores 3| to receive the shank 36 of a bolt 3: having a head 38 normally engaging one of the plates 30. weldingto the other plate whereby the bolt may be unscrewed from the nut 39 and retractedsufficiently for one of the plates to be. swung on the spindle 32 to permit awire line or the, like to be reeved around the groove in the sheave 3-3.

The swivel T assembly 2| includes a split housing 40 having a bore 4| through which the shank 36 extends to rotatably mount the housing. The housing also has a b'ore42' extending perpendicular to the bore 4| and adapted to rotatably mount the housing on a spindle 43 which extends from the eye 20, said spindle having a head 44 arranged in a recessed portion 45 of the housing to retain the housing on the spindle. For simplicity of manufacture, the twov pieces of the housing 40 are secured together and machined and then separated and arranged on the spindle whereby the spindle extends through the bore 42, then the two halves of the housing are welded as at 46 to form the complete swivel T assembly 2|, which when mounted on the shank 36 and with the eye 20 rotatably mounted on the bolt 24 permits the swivel and snatch block to swing about the bolt 24, the snatch block to rotate about the spindle 43 and the lower portion of the snatch block to swing about the shank 36. Also the entire snatch block and'top member l3 may A nut 39 is secured as by swing about the axis of the trunnions 12 to provide a universal action in the top assembly of the gin pole.

When the gin pole and top assembly therefor are constructed and assembled as described and with a wire line or the like reeved through the snatch block and operating over the sheave 33, as illustrated in Fig. l, one end ofthe Wire line 37 maybefconn'ected to a suitable winch or the like and the'other end we "load to be lifted, and pull on the wire line will then lift the load until upward movement is limited by the connectiorr-of theload engaging the lower end of thesnatch block, this upper limit being greater than is possible with ordinary conventional structure having the same length gin poles due to the shortened distance between the lower end of the snatch block and the axis of the trunnions H -made possible by the elimination of the conventional yoke on the top iron and hook on the snatch block: -:Also, when the load is tofone side andythe wire line connectedthereto, the snatch block will tendto be pulled'to one side, swing-.- ing about the bolt 24. The fol-sexier; moving th iloed is pp ed in a line d fined by thexsnatch block-an'd extending through the bolt 24, but "due to the axis of the bolt 24-being above the axis of the trunnions 12, the line of force appliedwill be closer to the pole cap members than is possible with a yoke and hook arrangementon conventional gin pole assemblies-and; this reduced distance reduces the leverage'appliedcto the top assembly by the forces acting on the load; therey reducing h st ainfin the sin p lewhen it is des redte-d sassemble the top as-' semb yza m me p le m m rs, he top m m r 13 is r t d-t0a en. th lu s .15 w th theslots l4 in th rs Bandt e uPper ends of h P le members s p ated o -m ve the runni ns and less throu h; the kernels op n n to. cempletel remove he n m rs-and-sna cb bl ck-from h sppe end Qithe sinpolehe-for oi e n en ienillustra d in Fi 5, e 0 .m mb r. ;2 nd-3 and pole cars 8 he-same: c n tru tion as. scribed re eti t t e ru u e shcw in s 1 e i elusive. The top member 48 is preferabl longer wee h nni s 2 whe eby e u e e of the pole members 2 and tare spaced apart fi i ntly to accommod e wo sna c bl ck tru tur s tent s t p member- 8- The sna c l s Swive a semb y and aths euntin hereofion the t p m mb re su s a tia y the me; as i e s ture shown in. Fi

Th s

arrangement of a plurality f snatch blocks on the ;top -me rnber 48 provides-a universalaction for each of the; snatch. blocks; whereby said universal action may bein two directions at the.

sametime. A single line ,may bereeved through both of the snatch blocks-whereby they act toeether witho er m lt p e sheave to pr vide a form ofblockand tackle, or differentwirelines may be reeved n t respect s ch blo k sheaves to. provide a variety of lifting and mov ing actions. r Y

In. the form-,ofthe invention illustrated'in Figs. 6 and 7, the top member l3iand trunnions thereon and the 'eye 20, spindle4-2 and head 44 are constructed-an assembled inthe .samdmanner as illustrated'xand described-rimrconnection with the form of the invention: shown. in Figs. 1 to 4xinclusive. '3 The over-'all length of thetop assembly is shortened by the eliminationf .the bolt :31.-' In form 0f the :ginv'entionp-the side plates A3. have parallel v piortionsrbetween which the sheave 33 is rotatably mounted. The upper portion of the plates 49 is curved outwardly and inwardly as at 59, terminating in upwardly extending portions 5| having an inner shank to engage around the spindle 42 and form a shoulder 52 engaging the headed. The upper portions 5! are arranged around the spindle and then said portions welded together-to form a swivel housing whereby the plates and sheave carried thereby'are rotatable on the spindle'fl. The outwardly'and inwardly curved portions 59 provide an enlarged passage 53' between the sheave and spindle head 44 of suitable size whereby chains and the like on a hoisting line may be inserted therethrough in reeving' the line on the sheave. This structure provides theuniversal action in the gin pole top assembly with a minimum of over-all length for maximum lift of load.

It is believed obvious that I have provided a gin pole and top assembly therefor which provides a universal action for reduced stress on the pole members and also permits a relatively high lift, particularly where there are limitations on the pole lengths.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gin pole structure having spaced upwardly converging pole members with aligned bearing members adjacentthe upper ends thereof, a top member arranged between the upper ends of the pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on the top member and rotatably mounted in the bearing members, means on the trunnions normally retaining the trunnions in '1 trunnions, a snatch block having a sheave rotat ably mounted at one end thereof, and means on the other end of the snatch block rotatably mounted on the spindle to form a swivel connection between the snatch block and spindle with the axis of rotation of the snatch block perpendicular to the axis of swinging movement of the spindle. I I

2. In a gin pole structure having spaced upwardly converging pole members with upstanding ears on the upper ends thereof and aligned bearing openings in said cars, a top member arranged between the ears of the pole members and having portions engaging said ears to maintain the spaced relation of the upper ends of the pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on the top member and rotatably mounted in the bearing openings, means on the trunnions normally retaining the trunnions in the bearing openings, a depending spindle swingingly mounted on the top member between the pole members with the axis of the swinging movement of said spindle above the axis of the trunnions, a snatch block having a sheave rotatably mounted at one end thereof, and means rotatably mounted on the'snatch block adjacent the other end thereof and swivelled on the spindle cured therein, a depending'spindle swingingly with the axis of the swivelling of the snatch block perpendicular to the axis of swinging movetween said ears and having portions engaging same to maintain the spaced relation of the upmounted on the bolt, a snatch'block having a sheave rotatably mounted at oneend thereof, and means on the other end of said snatch block rotatably mounted on the spindle to form swivel connection therewith whereby the axis of rotation of the snatch block is perpendicular to the bolt.

4:.111'3; gin pole structure having spaced upwardly converging pole members with upstanding ears on the' pole members having aligned keyshaped bearing openings'therei'n, a top member arranged between said ears and having portions engaging same to maintain the spaced relation of the upper ends of the pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on the'top member rotatably mounted in the bearing openings, lugs adjacent the outer ends of the trunnions adapted to pass throughfthe key-shaped openings and normally out of registry withthe slotted portion thereof to retain the trunnions in the bearing openings, said topmember having a downwardly opening recesstherein between the pole members anda transverse bore intersecting said recess with the axis of said bore perpendicular to and above the axis of the trunnions, a bolt extending through the bore and secured therein, a depending spin,-

dle swingingly mounted on the bolt, a snatch block having a sheave rotatably mounted at one end thereof, and means onthe other. end of said snatch block rotatably mounted on the spindle to form swivelconnection therewith whereby the axisfof rotation ofthe snatchblock is perpendicular to thebolt.

5. In a gin pole structure having spaced upwardly convergingjpole members with upstand ing ears on the pole members having aligned ranged "between said ears'and having portions engaging same to maintain the spaced relation of the upper ends of the-pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on the top member rotatably mounted in the bearing openings, means on the outer ends of the trunnions to retain the trunnions in the bearing openings, said top member having downwardly opening recesses therein between the pole members and transverse bores intersecting said recesses withv the axes of said bores perpendicular to andabove the axis of the trunnions, bolts extending through the bores and secured therein, depending spindles swingingly mounted on the bolts, snatch blocks each having sheaves rotatably mounted at one end thereof, and means on the other ends of said snatch blocks rotatably mounted on the respective spindles to form swivel connections therewith whereby the axis of rotation of the snatch blocks is perpendicular to the respective bolts.

6. In a gin pole structure having spaced upwardly converging pole members, pole caps secured to the upper ends of the pole members, upstanding ears on the pole caps'and having aligned key-shaped bearing openings therein, a

top member arranged between said ears andhaving portions engaging same to maintain the spaced relation of the upper ends of the .pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on the 1,

top member rotatably mounted in'the bearing openings, lugs adjacent the outer ends of the trunnions adapted to pass throughthe keyshaped openings and normally out of registry with the, slot-ted portion thereof to retain the tru'nnions in the bearing openings, said top memberhavingdownwardly opening recesses therein between the pole members and transverse bores intersecting said recesses with the axes of said bores perpendicular to and above the axisof the trunnions, bolts extending through the bores and securedtherein, depending spindles swingingly mounted on the bolts, snatch blocks eachhaving sheaves rotatably mounted at one end thereof, and means on the other ends of said snatch blocks rotatably mounted on the respective spindles to form swivel connections therewith whereby the axis of rotation of the snatch blocks is perpendicular to the respective bolts. 7

7. A'gin'pole structure comprising, a support, spaced upwardly converging pole members mounted on said support, upstanding ears on the pole members and having aligned bearing opening therein, a top member arranged between said ears and having portions engaging same to maintain the spaced relation of the upper ends of the pole membersoppositely extending trunnions on the top member rotatably mounted in the bearing openings, said top member having a downwardlyv opening recess therein'between the pole members and a transverse bore intersecting said recess with the axis of said bore perpendicular. to and above the axis of the trunnions, albolt extending through the bore and secured therein, a snatch block having a sheave rotatably-mounted at one end thereof, and means swivelled ontthe other end of said snatch block andrrotatably mounted on the bolt. 8- A,gin.polestructurecomprising, a support, spaced upwardly converging pole members mounted on said support, pole capssecured to the upper ends of the pole: members, upstandinjglears nthe poleicaps and having aligned key-shaped bearing openings therein, a top member arranged between said .ears and having-portions engaging js'amelt'o maintain the spaced relation of the vupper ends. of the pole members, op-

cesses with the axes of said bores perpendicular r to and above the axis of the trunnions, bolts extending through the bores and secured therein, depending spindles swingingly mounted on the bolts, snatch blocks each having sheaves rotat- "ably mounted at one end thereof, and means on the other ends of said snatch blocks rotatabl mounted on the respective spindles to form swivel connections therewith whereby the axis of rotation of the snatch blocks is perpendicular to' the respective bolts. V

Y 9. In a gin pole structure having spaced upwardly converging pole members with aligned bearing members adjacent the upper ends thereof, a top member between the upper ends of the pole members, oppositely extending trunnions on. the top member and rotatably mounted in the bearing members, a depending spindle swingingly mounted on the top member between the pole members with the axis of the swinging movement of said spindle above the axis of the trunnions, a snatch block having a sheave rotatably mounted at one endthereof, and means rotatably mounted on the snatch block adjacent the other end thereof and swivelled on the spindle with the axis of the swivelling of the snatch block perpendicular to the axis of the swinging movement of the spindle.

LEE S. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,626,861 Murray May 3, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 41,852 Sweden Dec. 2, 1914 

